News Roundup 26 July 2023
Jul 26, 2023 • 5 min Read
18 PNP officials linked to drugs shown the door | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — A day after he announced in his second State of the Nation Address that he would let go of “unscrupulous law enforcers and others involved in the highly nefarious drug trade,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted the courtesy resignations of 18 officials of the Philippine National Police, including three generals, for their alleged involvement in illegal drug activities.
A statement released on Tuesday by Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil identified two of the three officials as Brigadier Generals Remus Medina and Randy Peralta.
Both served as chief of the PNP’s primary anti-drug unit, the Drug Enforcement Group (DEG), under the previous administration. Medina headed the DEG from April 2021 to February 2022 and was succeeded by Peralta who served until July 2022. Both belong to the PNP Academy’s Tagapaglunsad Class of 1993.
The third official was Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, who was among the Top 3 graduates of PNPA Class of 1993. He served as Caraga regional police office director until he was put on floating status last week during the latest revamp implemented by PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.
Based on PNP records, the three are far from the compulsory retirement age of 56: Medina was supposed to serve until Oct. 6, 2026; Peralta, March 16, 2026; and Labra, Aug. 4, 2024.
The 15 other police officials whose resignations were also accepted by the President were Colonels Rogarth Campo, Rommel Ochave, Rommel Velasco, Robin Sarmiento, Fernando Ortega, Rex Derilo, Julian Olonan, Rolando Portera, Lawrence Cajipe, Dario Menor, Joel Kagayed Tampis, Michael David, Igmedio Bernaldez, Rodolfo Albotra Jr. and Marvin Sanchez.
“So what will happen is, once we get the official word of the President and our PNP chief has been informed, they (the 18 police officials) will now be informed that their resignation has been accepted, so they will now be severed from the service,” Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos told reporters during an interview at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
Full Story at: 18 PNP officials linked to drugs shown the door | Inquirer News
House budget panel head: Gov’t savings can be used to boost MUP pension fund | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Officials from the House of Representatives are looking at government savings and other funding sources as a possible way to boost the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pension fund, appropriations panel chair Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co said on Wednesday.
Co in a statement said that even before the executive department submits the proposed 2024 national budget to Congress, he and other House officials have been instructed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez to check where funding can be sourced.
“Bago pa dumating ang hearings para sa 2024 national budget, hahanapan natin ng pagkukunan ng pondo ang pension ng ating mga sundalo, pulis, at iba pang uniformed personnel,” Co said.
(Before the hearings for the 2024 national budget, we will look at where we can source funds for the pension of our soldiers, policemen, and other uniformed personnel.)
Co said this after his fellow Bicolano, House Committee on ways and means chairperson and Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda announced before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (Sona) that they were tasked to find a solution to the MUP pension fund concerns.
Full Story at: House budget panel head: Gov’t savings can be used to boost MUP pension fund | Inquirer News
House probe sought after missing inmate’s body found in Bilibid septic tank | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers on Wednesday called on the House of Representatives to launch an investigation into the recent discovery of human remains inside a septic tank at the New Bilibid Prison.
House Resolution No. 1136, filed Wednesday by three ACT-CIS partylist representatives, cited the need to revisit the country’s laws on public order and safety, especially the state of the country’s correctional facilities.
According to Rep. Erwin Tulfo (ACT-CIS Partylist), the body found inside the septic tank of the NPB’s maximum security compound has been identified as Michael Angelo Cataroja, the 25-year-old inmate who authorities say has been missing since July 15. This was based on the tip he received from an unnamed source who previously bared incidents of violence inside NBP on his radio show.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Wednesday that the decapitated body found inside the septic tank is of a “missing Person Deprived of Liberty” who was last seen June 15, according to a GMA News report.
“Everything is still in the exploratory stage and we’re still trying to find out. Trying to get the bottom of everything,” Remulla said.
Inmates housed inside the NPB’s maximum security compound serve a minimum prison sentence of at least 20 years. Cataroja is serving his sentence for violating the anti-fencing law.
Full Story at: House probe sought after missing inmate’s body found in Bilibid septic tank | Philstar.com
Signal No 4 still up in parts of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte as ‘Egay’ moves away | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) maintained its strength as it headed toward Taiwan, state weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday afternoon.
Egay was last spotted 70 kilometers west northwest of Calayan in Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gusts of up to 240 kph. It was moving northwest at 10 kph.
The country’s fifth cyclone of the year continues to batter extreme northern Luzon with strong winds and heavy rain.
“Violent, life-threatening conditions are expected to continue over Babuyan Islands, the northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan, and the northern portions of Apayao and Ilocos Norte in the next six hours,” PAGASA said in a bulletin issued past 5 p.m.
Full Story at: Signal No 4 still up in parts of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte as ‘Egay’ moves away | Philstar.com
